good dry suit undergarment alternatives

[Randy43068]

I have both, although I only wore the Tilos a couple of times before abadoning it. If memory serves, the Carol Davis is a little thicker, and noticably warmer. I use it as a base layer under my DUI powerstretch 300 in the colder months.

How do you keep your head warm?

 

[dannobee]

How do you keep your head warm?

Call Cricket at Otter Bay and get a 12mm hood.

Otterbaysuits.com Homepage

 

[CompuDude]

How do you keep your head warm?

Henderson Gold Core 7mm drysuit hood.

 

[Big Toes]

Polypropelene (sp?) underwear. and socks. works great. probably look at a military surplus store for these.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

I'm probably not getting it, but are all you US divers using trilams? And are we really talking cold water diving here? Over here most "recreational divers" use neoprene drysuits. They are cheap and has its own insolation. Underneath many people including myself have been using nothing but 100% wool for years. NOT thick, bulky sweaters, but thin layers of merino wool. Preferable two or even three layers on the upper body when it gets cold. Polypropylen and cotton is banned. Absolutely no good what so ever.

Now for the growing number of trilam divers here a good undersuit is a must. 200 gr in the summer + a layer of thin wool underneath, and 400 gr the rest of the year, + a thin layer of wool underneath.




Here's a treat for you guys:

100% wool shorts!


And for the ladies:

Yeah, 100% merino wool... :blinking:


EDIT: Forgot to mention that wool doesn't get so smelly after use. This is especially noticeable if you're staying over night and have to use the same garnments two days, or more. Go try that with anything synthetic!

 

[PuyallupCoug]

I do not have a drysuit but for other activities in the cold I have found that the Under Armor "Cold Gear" line of long underwear is far better than any polypro I've used in the past. It's warmer, it fits better and has better freedom of movement. Has anyone used this as a first layer instead of normal polypro?

 

[diver_paula]

I'm probably not getting it, but are all you US divers using trilams? And are we really talking cold water diving here? Over here most "recreational divers" use neoprene drysuits. They are cheap and has its own insolation. Underneath many people including myself have been using nothing but 100% wool for years. NOT thick, bulky sweaters, but thin layers of merino wool. Preferable two or even three layers on the upper body when it gets cold. Polypropylen and cotton is banned. Absolutely no good what so ever.

Kompressor,

I know very few Great Lakes divers that dive with a neoprene suit. Nearly everyone I know uses a tri-lam. For me, the factors that helped make that decision was cost and that neoprene drysuit would add to my bouyancy. Perhaps it's different elsewhere in the US but that's what I see. & my buddies either dive year round or start diving in April when the water is in the high 30's (F).

Paula

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Kompressor,

I know very few Great Lakes divers that dive with a neoprene suit. Nearly everyone I know uses a tri-lam. For me, the factors that helped make that decision was cost and that neoprene drysuit would add to my bouyancy. Perhaps it's different elsewhere in the US but that's what I see. & my buddies either dive year round or start diving in April when the water is in the high 30's (F).

Paula

I didn't want to start a new discussion pro/con neoprene drysuits. There are no doubts experienced divers will benefit from the advantages of a constant volume suit. A neoprene drysuit is actually easier to learn to dive with, according to our dive centres experiences over here, so it's the most common school suits, including my ten complete outfits. Note that 95% of all OWD-classes are held with drysuits over here though. -And with only 6 open water dives during a course, time is a limited asset in this aspect.

But the thread is about undergarnments, and my wish was to point out that what you wear underneat depends on your type of drysuit. It's a bit "arrogant" to presume everyone uses trilams

Anyways, I am just amazed how impressed you guys in the US are with synthetics. Why? It stinks after a few hours use. It DOESN'T insulate anywhere near wool. It DOESN'T insultate at all when wet. Take this from an experienced Norwegian folks. Up here we don't just survive the winter. -We LIVE in it!

 

[Tigerman]

I didn't want to start a new discussion pro/con neoprene drysuits. There are no doubts experienced divers will benefit from the advantages of a constant volume suit. A neoprene drysuit is actually easier to learn to dive with, according to our dive centres experiences over here, so it's the most common school suits, including my ten complete outfits. Note that 95% of all OWD-classes are held with drysuits over here though. -And with only 6 open water dives during a course, time is a limited asset in this aspect.

But the thread is about undergarnments, and my wish was to point out that what you wear underneat depends on your type of drysuit. It's a bit "arrogant" to presume everyone uses trilams

Anyways, I am just amazed how impressed you guys in the US are with synthetics. Why? It stinks after a few hours use. It DOESN'T insulate anywhere near wool. It DOESN'T insultate at all when wet. Take this from an experienced Norwegian folks. Up here we don't just survive the winter. -We LIVE in it!

And its damn close to arriving now too.. My car was all iced down this morning

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Leaving on vacation tomorrow. The truck and the trailer i stoked with diving gear, fishing gear, warm clothing, and... Studded winter tires for the car!